7 Tips on How to Make Your 10x Application Stand Out
Advice from the folks who read them all đ
Applications for the 2026 UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator are now open across All Industries, Health and Climate. Selected startups receive $100k in founder-friendly capital and 10 weeks of accelerated learning, with this yearâs program running from 5 August to 7 October.
To help you put your best foot forward, we asked the people who review these applications every year. Hereâs what helps an application rise to the top.
1. Explain the problem clearly
Start with the problem, not the buzzwords. The strongest applications describe a real pain point in plain English and make it easy to understand why it matters.
A good test : if someone outside your industry can grasp the problem quickly, youâre probably on the right track.
Even better, back it with evidence. Show the scale of the problem, who experiences it, and why now is the right time to solve it.
2. Describe your solution like a founder, not a brochure
Avoid jargon-heavy language or over-complicated technical descriptions. Your application should show that you deeply understand what youâre building and why customers will care.
Focus on what your solution actually changes for the user. What becomes faster, cheaper, safer, easier, more accurate, or more accessible because your startup exists?
Clarity beats cleverness every time.
3. Show why your team is the right team
This is not the place for generic bios. Be specific about what each founder brings and why your team is well placed to solve this problem.
Think beyond job titles. What experience, technical capability, customer insight, commercial know-how, or founder-market fit gives your team an edge?
If youâre a solo founder, be upfront about how youâre covering gaps, whether through advisors, contractors, collaborators, or a hiring plan.
4. Make the product real
Donât make the reviewers imagine your product if you can show it to them.
Include visuals, screenshots, renders, demo links, prototypes, short videos, or anything else that helps bring the product to life. The goal is simple: make it easy to understand how the solution works and how a customer would use it.
The more tangible you make it, the stronger your application becomes.
5. Be specific about go-to-market
One of the fastest ways to weaken an application is to stay vague on traction and go-to-market.
Instead of saying, âWeâll pilot with users,â explain who those users are, how many you plan to engage, what success looks like, and what that pilot is designed to prove.
Strong founders show that theyâre not just building a product. Theyâre building a path to adoption.
6. Tell us why 10x
Generic applications are easy to spot. The strongest ones show that you understand what 10x actually offers and how it connects to the next stage of your startup.
Be specific. What part of the program matters most to you? Is it investor readiness? Commercialisation support? Access to R&D infrastructure? Deep domain expertise? Global pathways? Strategic introductions?
A thoughtful answer shows intent. It also shows coachability.
7. Bring energy and openness to the interview
If you make it to interview, donât aim for perfection. Aim for conviction, clarity and openness to feedback.
The teams that stand out are usually the ones who are ambitious, self-aware and genuinely excited to solve the problem theyâre working on. Strong founders can defend their thinking, but they also know how to listen, reflect and adapt.
Why Apply?
10x was named Australia's #1 most recommended accelerator (Startup Muster 2024), and UNSW was recognised as the Most Entrepreneurial University in Asia Pacific (Triple E Awards 2024). The portfolio is now worth over $1 billion â and growing.
And the support doesn't stop at Demo Day. From investor connections to global landing pads, travel grants, and ongoing scale-up support, 10x backs founders long after the program ends.